When it comes to helping your business work efficiently, accurately, and profitably, if the two options were to 1) keep using manual processes or 2) implement simple, siloed automation, clearly you’d be smart to go with the latter. However, there’s a third option that many companies overlook or incorrectly consider to be too difficult to achieve: intelligent automation.
What Is Intelligent Automation?
It’s fair to say that any form of business process automation (BPA) contains an element of “intelligence.” After all, something is replacing the decisions that an employee would otherwise be making. But the term “intelligent automation” refers to complex systems in which multiple processes are connected in a way that makes each of them more effective.
Rather than having a patchwork of automated actions, businesses that leverage intelligent automation look at the big picture and take a more strategic approach to how systems integrate with one another in order to achieve true digital transformation. In that way, legacy systems that were becoming a drain on productivity (and on patience!) benefit from the synergy produced and can continue to contribute to the company’s success along with new systems that are adopted.
Intelligent automation also helps mitigate compliance concerns. When a more holistic approach to data management is implemented, there is less risk that records will be misplaced, misused, or accessible after they should have been archived or destroyed.
Intelligent Automation and Customer Satisfaction
One of the great things about intelligent automation is that it produces both internal and external benefits. For example, integrating systems in thoughtful ways can make it easier for customers to interact with your company. Instead of having them start the process of opening an account and then wait for an employee to validate their information, for instance, a smarter, more comprehensive solution can cross-reference their data with information you have in another system to give them instant approval.
The same kind of integration can be used to answer customer queries or provide assistance faster and more efficiently than with manual processes.
And these capabilities help your business in multiple ways. First and foremost, they make your customers or clients happy. Many of those people then become vocal advocates for your company, and word-of-mouth advertising is not only the most cost-effective kind, but it’s also the most powerful. Second, intelligent automation frees employees to tackle other tasks where their knowledge and experience are crucial.
Creating and Scaling Your AI-Enabled Platform
For many companies, achieving a high degree of business process automation starts with implementing an operational “platform” that capitalizes on artificial intelligence (AI) to coordinate processes. As business automation leader Kofax points out, that platform should involve:
- Cognitive capture
- Robotic process automation (RPA)
- Process orchestration
- Advanced analytics
- Mobility and engagement capabilities
Building on that foundation, companies can integrate existing or new systems as needed and as resources allow. And with each addition, the organization becomes more efficient.
So, while comprehensive, enterprise-wide system integration may be the goal, that objective can be reached in stages. That’s important for decision-makers and stakeholders to understand.
What Can Intelligent Automation Do for You?
How could intelligent automation help your organization? Which processes should you start with? What kinds of costs and timelines would you be looking at? The best way to find out is to schedule a free 60-minute exploratory call. One of our team members can talk with you about the challenges you face and how best to tackle them. To book some time with a Buddha Logic business process automation expert, call 303-807-6528 or contact us online.
About the Author
Charles Weidman is the President and CTO of Buddha Logic. Charlie has over two decades of experience in the design, development and implementation of content services and business process management solutions. He is also an expert in robotic process automation. Charlie founded Buddha Logic with the idea that well-architected digital document capture and management processes are both beautifully simple and powerfully logical. Find and connect with Charlie on LinkedIn.